Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-10-28
The AIunlni.0

ErNNREs or cHAs. II. DAVENPORT
Mr.. Davenport in responding on behalf
of the High school graduates commended
the proposed organization of alumni. as
having its foundations broad aud deep in
some of the best affections of life, and "a
renewing and preserving those common
school associations Of all sccts Glasses and
conditions in life, which are the strength of
our American system, and which il is our
duty to pcrpetuatc SO far ae we can.
For us especially he said, graduates Of
such school and under such a teacher.
there is every incentive. 1t cannot be said
of Us--or If it can it is not his fault as it
was of the boy | read about the other day.
"Dida't you know, neighbor asked his
mother, that johnny was contracting bad
habits Mt school ~ "No thought he was
expanding them y That boy, if he grows
up, may he a toastmaster on such an occa-
sion as this, and if he is, he may be de-
pended on to re-echo this sentiment about
happy hoyhoo1 days What a food of recol-
lections this greeting from the old school
master, and this looking back over - years
brings up He taught us our svntax and
taxed us with our sins pretty suddenly af-
ter they were committed Automatically.
he extracted the roots Of our stupidity and
put us into a harmnncal progression In
the science Of common things he taught us
the effect of moonlight upon life, and we
lads and lassies were very willing to pursue
the iuvcstignton-and did In the higher
| mathcmatics-wc he taught my heels on
several occasions to describe an arc through
the air, with his vigorous arm graspng my
| cont collar as the sine or co-sine of the fig
/ uro In later wears. when | studied trigo
| nometrv-or rather my class did learned
that there was also q cord connected
| with this figure ! thought Mt the time
| there was something Of the kind In Latin
| he taught us how base it was to coniugatc n
lie, Yes and this is one Of the KEYS Of the
whole twenty-five years of the old school
masters service; md looking back over it
how can You or but spenk reverently Of
! his work and that Of his devoted assistants
| who have made the Brattebpro High school
what it is We are Justly proud Of orr
beautiful town. its high average Of inteli-
grnce, its moral cleanliness. its freedom
from vice. and how much we owe for it all
| to b. +. Bingham, aud his unceasing aud
| unwearyiug prccept towards purity Of life.
towards munliness and womauliness Fully
! 1000 pupils must have gone out into the
world from under his hand Some have
| graduated, it is true into a higher than
| earthly school but of the whole number
Nv lnE OF i'htl, so ItiI rs can ne learned, OnIN
five have ever made - criminal record Of
any kind Think Of five ont Of 1900 in
- veors--what would appear in the socnl
science tables rs one-seventv fifth of one
per cent Could grander tribute he laid
at any mans feet than this bare statement
Of fact. Make all the allowance You can
for the other factors and influences-and
there have been others-that have contrib
uted to this result. vet the fact remains
that Rrattleboros debt to r f. Bingham is
a great one, and the power for good as his
pupils have circlod out to other parts Of the
country and world has been an ever widen
ing one. The earnestness with which he
has the faculty of nfusinr aud sufusing
all who como within his roach. the moral
pluck and the generous enthusiasm for hui
mnuity with which he inspired us-ths. a.
well rs intellectual training constituted ed
uration at b. + Binghom's hands aud it
made life for those who improved their op.
portunities, in the words Of the old rhyme
Not game Of idle chsnces
But It steadily advances,
Up the rugged heights Of time.
lil each co'uUl"v web uf trouble.
Every good hopes broken bubble
Hath a meaning most sublime
Schoomaster the alumni salute Won. and
only hope and pray that they may agnin No
so ON the twenty fifth anniversary Of This
day.